Everybody Talks
by dreams and fantasies
Summary: Swan Queen has a very public beginning. Inspired by the song "Everybody Talks" by Neon Trees.
1. Chapter 1

_It started with a whisper  
And that was when I kissed her  
And then she made my lips hurt  
I could hear the chit chat  
Take me to your love shack  
Mamas always gotta back track  
When everybody talks back_

Regina Mills was simply the most infuriating person Emma had ever met. They were outside Granny's, having yet another "discussion" about her visitation schedule with Henry, and of course the mayor had to turn it into a game of Let's Insult Emma. Honestly, the topics of the conditions of Henry's birth and the less than stellar qualities of his father were getting a little exhausting. Emma's mind began to wander, only catching snippets of Regina's rant.

"Since you thought a jail cell was a proper place to welcome him into the world, I'm sure you would take him…" Sure, because she _chose_ to be pregnant and incarcerated.

"You gave up any right you had to Henry, Miss Swan when you…" Yeah, yeah she gave him up, she abandoned him, she heard it the first five hundred times. It was ironic, the woman was constantly criticizing Emma's parenting abilities yet at the same time reprimanding her having Regina raise him!

"And how you expect me to trust that he'll be safe in that eyesore of yours…" The car-not as popular a choice as the abandonment one but an often insult nonetheless.

"Plus I'm sure you want some more time to yourself to roam the bars. I'm afraid Mary Margaret took the only married sleaze in this town but I'm sure you can find someone just as…interesting"

At this, Emma lost control and blurted out what she'd been saying in her head for the last five minutes.

"Well Madame Mayor not all of us have your gorgeous body. Some of us have to settle for the charming man who convinces you he's single before throwing you out on the street when his wife shows up."

Regina gasped, and Emma inwardly cursed herself for being so stupid. Sure, she had always admired the mayor's body, and she enjoyed their arguments more than she cared to admit, but Regina sure didn't need to know that, and she sure didn't need to know anything about Emma's past.

She opened up her mouth to try to cover up her statement, but before she got any words out she heard the mayor whisper something. Something she probably didn't mean for Emma to hear.

"_You're beautiful"_

Regina thought she was beautiful. Regina **cared.**

Suddenly Emma's brain short circuited and she found herself closing the small distance between Regina and herself, and capturing the brunette's lips in a bruising kiss. She expected to get shoved away and threatened with a sexual assault charge, but instead she felt Regina start to kiss her back. Soon her hands were roaming Regina's body, and the mayor's own hands were tangled in Emma's hair. Their lips and tongues were in a war for control, and it didn't seem to matter who was winning.

It was only when they had to finally come up for air that Emma realized something.

They were in public.

In fact right outside a diner where half the town was currently eating dinner.

And staring

At them.

And now whispering.

A lot.

_Oh Crap._

* * *

Emma glanced at the diner crowd, who by now were not even pretending to be doing something else other than staring. She gave them a sheepish smile and a wave, and mouthed, "Hi."

_Smooth, Ems, real smooth._

She scanned the faces in front of her, taking in the various expressions. Ashley was blushing, Mary Margaret was just gaping, and Ruby was-Ruby was smiling!

_Wait, what?_

But before Emma could decide on her next course of action, suddenly everyone inside Granny's simultaneously looked away and busied themselves in talk or their food. She glanced at Regina, and found the woman doing her best mayoral stare down at the diner's inhabitants. _Damn, she was good at that._ When eventually the last pair of eyes (Ruby's) had turned back away, Regina refocused on the blonde, eyebrows raised and an expectant look on her face.

"Well, Miss Swan, shall we?"

"Umm, shall we what?"

"Shall we continue this inside my house or would you rather remain here being gawked at like zoo animals?"

Emma rolled her eyes before realizing what exactly the mayor had just said. _Continue this? Continue what? _And then Emma's brain began filling with visuals of just where she would like their make out session to continue to. Lost in thoughts that would make even Leroy blush, Emma didn't even notice they had started walking until she found herself standing in front of Regina's mansion.

* * *

"Cider, Miss Swan?"

"Thanks," Emma muttered as Regina handed her a glass of the brunette's signature drink. They were standing in the mayor's living room, and Emma couldn't help but stare as Regina bent over to place coasters on the coffee table, her form-fitting dress tight in all the places Emma knew she shouldn't be looking at. Shaking her head, she broke the silence with the easiest and most obvious question: "So where is Henry?"

"I had Archie take him to the library after his session. While it may be okay with _you_ that he spends all his time with his nose in that fairy tale book, I for one would like him to read some quality literature." Regina tried to hide the flash of pain that crossed her face when she brought up the book, but there was no getting it passed Emma. As cold as she pretended to be, Emma knew it hurt Regina knowing her son thought she was evil.

"You know, Regina, Henry's just a confused kid. He feels-"

"Miss Swan, I hope you're not mistaken," Regina interrupted her, "the fact that you decided to attack my mouth in public does not mean you have the right to tell me what **my **son feels"

Emma should have known better. She should have known Regina would backtrack and pretend their exchange was one sided. She should just thank her for the cider and get the hell out of there.

_No._ If she did that, Regina would win; she would get to pretend the kiss never happened and that she didn't feel anything for Emma. The blonde's bruised lips contradict both those statements.

_No._ She refused to go along with Regina's "attack" story. The mayor wasn't getting out of this that easily. Watching Regina slip into another "he is my son" rant, Emma knew she needed to break down that cold mask that was constantly in place, the one Emma had seen slip only a few times-the last time being when they kissed.

_No._ Emma was going to destroy that mask, and she was going to have some fun doing it.

"You know, Madam Mayor, you didn't seem to be protesting my 'attack' when you were moaning my name."

Emma smiled as Regina flustered hopelessly for a few moments before coming up with a response.

"I can assure you I did no such thing, and how dare you accuse me of-of **enjoying** that-that…" Regina continued to stammer, and as much as she tried to keep her face stern, Emma knew she had gotten through.

"Well then, let's see if you enjoy this," Emma rose from her seat and crossed the room to where Regina was fumbling at the bar. Grabbing the mayor's head and pulling it towards her, Emma crushed her lips to Regina's for the second time that day, and the way the brunette's body melted into her was all the reassurance and proof Emma needed. Try all she wanted, Regina couldn't deny her attraction.

* * *

Two hours later, Emma exited the mansion, bruised, scratched and satisfied. The tension between them had gone on unreleased too long, and Emma felt more relaxed than she had in weeks. They had made out on just about every surface of the living room before moving on to every other room in the house.

Every room, that is, except Regina's bedroom-Henry had arrived at the house before they got the chance. Regina told Henry that Emma was there discussing the town budget and was "just leaving." Emma took the hint and said her goodbyes, giving Regina a wink when Henry wasn't looking.

Smiling at the memory, Emma pulled out her phone, untouched since the kiss at Granny's. Flipping it open, she discovered that she had 35 unread texts. The first was from Mary Margaret, and it simply said:

**You're gonna have some explaining to do.**

Emma sighed. She had a feeling this was going to be a very, very long night.

* * *

**A/N: This is my first fan-fiction story, so go easy on me! Let me know through reviews if I should continue it :)_  
_**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who reviewed/favorited the first chapter-I really wasn't expecting it and it made me so happy. Also, sorry to make you wait so long for an update. Now, as you requested, chapter 2!**

* * *

_Maybe if I wait another five minutes she'll be asleep._

_Maybe if I'm really quiet she won't hear me come in._

_Maybe…oh, I give up._

Emma had been standing outside the apartment she shared with Mary Margaret for almost ten minutes, trying to convince herself that there was a way to make it to her room without encountering her roommate. However, that little voice in her head kept shouting the unfortunate truths at her. First, at only eight o'clock there was no chance Mary Margaret was sleeping, and second, the miniscule size of the apartment made it pretty much impossible for Emma to slip into her room unnoticed.

Eventually, Emma had to face facts. Short of sleeping on the floor in the hallway, entering the apartment and facing her roommate was the only option. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and opened the door one inch at a time, delaying the inevitable for as long as she could.

"So, got anything to tell me?" Emma opened her eyes to the sight of Mary Margaret perched on a stool at their kitchen counter. It was obvious the brunette had been waiting for Emma, and she had her Serious Conversation face on.

_Crap._

"Mary Margaret, I-"

"So let me get this straight," the other woman interrupted, "Regina Mills, the woman who threatens your life about once a day, tried to have me thrown in jail for a murder I didn't commit, and does everything she can to keep you from seeing your son, **this** is woman you've decided to make your new girlfriend?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Emma protested, trying to ignore the fluttering of her heart that she felt when Mary Margaret mentioned the word "girlfriend". Suddenly Emma's head swam with images. Waking up next to Regina. Making breakfast together. Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries and-

_Hold up! One make out session does not make her my girlfriend! No matter how much I want to help her out of those tight skirts every night… No! Get it together, Swan!_

Out loud, Emma said, "That thing at the diner, we were just angry. We were fighting about Henry and standing really close. Our lips just kind of brushed by accident?" Emma cringed as she said it. That was bull, and both she and Mary Margaret knew it.

"By accident? And the next five minutes of you two devouring each other was what? More fighting about **Henry**?" Mary Margaret wasn't about to let herself be fooled by her roommate (or daughter, according to Henry). She had seen the way Emma and Regina had looked at each other right before they kissed. It reminded her of the way she used to look at David. Everyone in Granny's had been watching them argue, waiting for it to come to blows. The whole town was still divided on whether a punch had been thrown the night that Graham died, and she was pretty sure Ruby and Leroy still had a running bet going on who would crack first. Mary Margaret wondered idly if making out fell into that category.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and looked up to see Emma sneaking into her room, like a child escaping punishment. "Emma!" she yelled, and the blond froze in her tracks, slowly turning around to face Mary Margaret again.

"Mary Margaret, I'm tired. I had a really long and confusing day, and Ruby was all out of hot chocolate this morning. I know you don't like Regina. Most of the time I don't like her either. But today…" Emma sighed. Those two whispered words had shown her a different side of Regina, and ever since they were spoken, she hasn't been able to get them out of her head.

_You're beautiful_

Such simple words, but Emma had never heard them spoken before-not to her at least, and not from someone other than slimy guys at the bar trying to get her into bed. She looked at Mary Margaret, who now wore a soft, kind expression on her face.

"Emma, I understand."

"You understand?" Emma asked incredulously. "You understand why I want to kiss **her?** Well then PLEASE explain it to me!"

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes and smiled. "No, I most certainly do **not** understand that, but I understand feeling something for someone that you think you shouldn't. Thankfully, Regina is single, so you beat me there."

Emma cracked a smile and crossed the small apartment to give her friend a hug. "David was stupid, but don't give up on him," she said. "After all, he's the Prince Charming to your Snow White!" They both laughed, Mary Margaret shaking her head. Henry had a great theory, but there were no white horses or fairy tales in this world.

The schoolteacher took a deep breath. She was nowhere near comfortable with the idea of Emma with Regina, but she knew the blonde had reached her limit for that night. "How 'bout some hot chocolate?"

Emma smiled gratefully, and responded "Only if there's cinnamon in it."

SQSQSQSQSQSQ

Later that night, Emma got ready for in bed, feeling all warm and cozy thanks to Mary Margaret's delicious concoction. Emma didn't know how she did it, but the woman always seemed to make a drink that made Emma feel at home, a feeling she had never experienced before coming to Storybrooke.

Fluffing up her pillows and snuggling underneath the covers, Emma hoped for a peaceful night's rest. She needed it after the day's events. Unfortunately, the universe did not agree. Upon closing her eyes, Emma found her mind immediately filled with images of Regina-her eyes, her lips, the way her hands stroked Emma's hair. It had only been one day, and already the mayor was making her feel things she hadn't felt for any man.

The visions continued throughout the night, flashes of Regina and their shared kisses, mixed with the brunette's voice whispering "you're beautiful."

Little did Emma know, at the other end of town Regina was dreaming as well, only her visions were filled with a certain Sheriff that already seemed to be working her way into a heart Regina wasn't even sure she had.

When morning came, Emma awoke with the knowledge that this wasn't just another infatuation. This was something powerful. Something real. Something…that she's going to have to explain to a town that before yesterday, thought Regina was, according to Emma, a sociopath.

_Well this should be fun_

SQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma had told herself she wasn't going to Granny's that morning. She really had. Multiple times. However the lure of doughnuts and cocoa was impossible to resist, and after getting ready for her shift, Emma found herself standing in the middle of the popular diner.

With. Every. Single. Eye. On. Her.

Blushing and cursing her sweet tooth, she turned around, fully intent on fleeing Granny's and never going back. As she reached the door, however, she heard a familiar and chipper voice calling her name.

"Emma! What can I get you?" She turned around to see that Ruby had emerged behind the counter, giant smile on her face. The patrons in the diner looked at her curiously, wondering why the waitress was acting so, well, _normal. _After all, the woman had a front row seat to The Regina and Emma Make-Out Show not even 24 hours prior.

Emma's mind flashed back to that moment and was reminded of one thing-Ruby had been sporting that same goofy smile. Needing answers, Emma marched up to the front of the diner, and whispered angrily to Ruby, "Can we talk outside?"

Still smiling, the other woman answered with a happy "Yep!" and followed Emma outside and around to the side of the building.

"Why weren't you surprised?" Startled, Ruby's smiling face turned to one of confusion at Emma's outburst.

"Surprised about what?"

"Me and Regina! Everyone else was completely shocked, rightfully might I add, and you just stood there like it was completely normal!"

Ruby grinned with understanding, and simply shook her head. "Em, it was completely obvious. The two of you always stood two inches away from each other, and the way that you looked at each other? Well it was just a matter of time."

"B-b-but…" Ruby's confession threw Emma for a loop. How could Ruby know how she felt before Emma herself?

As if reading her mind, Ruby said "Call it instinct," winked, and headed back into the diner, leaving Emma biting her lip and like she'd been doing all day, thinking of Regina.

"Miss Swan, is it now your habit to hang out in alleyways? Well this is certainly a quality place to bring my son." Emma's head whipped around-she knew that sarcastic tone anywhere. Sure enough, Regina was strutting towards her, in sky high heels and a tight suit that made Emma's heart jump.

"Now I know manners are not your forte, but a small greeting would be-" Emma didn't give Regina a chance to finish her sentence, grabbing her face and pulling her in for a kiss. She had been craving the other woman's lips ever since they parted the night before and as their tongues danced, Emma felt like her whole body was recharging.

Just as Regina's fingers started brushing over the button's on Emma's shirt, they heard a small voice calling out to them. Regina backed away from the blonde's grasp and muttered "Henry."

_That kid has __**the **__worst timing._

Regina smoothed her hands on her thighs and fluffed her hair, and then leaned closer and closer until her mouth was practically touching Emma's ear.

"Tonight. Nine o'clock. Henry has a sleep over. We will continue this then,"Regina whispered, Emma's heart picked up speed. Without another word, the brunette walked away to join her son, hips swaying deliciously.

It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

**A/N: Well there it is! Hope you liked it-please review, feedback is always welcome. I promise the next update will not take as long :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know, I know, I know, I'm a horrible person, please don't kill me. First semester of senior year of high school, with a job, makes for a very busy me. I actually recently got laid off, which is sad for me but good for all of you! I promise to try to be better in the future. Now, finally, chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned them, you ****know**** Regina would have been invited to dinner. And of course, all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

_This has to be the longest day in history._

Emma sat at her desk at the police station, staring at the phone that hadn't rang all day. Sure, Storybrooke is a small, calm town, but there are usually at least a few lost pets, stolen items or punk kids causing trouble. Something that provides a reason for Emma to go out and investigate.

Today? Well today, Emma is practically praying for Pongo to run away again so she could kill some time trying to find him. And that is saying something, given that the last time that happened, she spent two hours chasing him in the rain only to find out he always returned home for dinner.

And paperwork! Emma loathes doing paperwork even more than chasing Pongo, but all of the free time had given her the chance to catch up on everything she needed to do, so there wasn't even that to distract her.

Groaning, she laid her head on her desk before turning to look at the clock for what had to be the ten billionth time that day.

_5:42_. Still a whole two hours and 18 minutes until she was free to go and get ready for her date-err, appointment – err, **whatever **it was with Regina. Thoughts of the brunette had occupied Emma's entire day, the memory of their kisses that morning still fresh in her mind.

Everything about Regina had always infuriated Emma, from her condescending tone to her professional suits, to those tall, red heels and the sexy little scar above her lip….

_Stop!_ _See, this is what happens when there isn't any work to do!_ Since the beginning of her shift, Emma had been trying to figure out when exactly everything about Regina had stopped angering her and began exciting her. It had started to occur to her that maybe it always excited her. When she cut off the branch of her apple tree that day, sure she was pissed, but mostly she did it to see the look on Regina's face.

_Oh, and it was worth it._ They had stood so close together, and Emma had watched as the other woman's face twitched in fury. And sure, Regina had screamed and yelled and looked ready to kill the blonde, but Emma didn't miss that small smirk that Regina let slip. It seemed Madame Mayor enjoyed their arguments just as much as she did.

From that point on, their arguing became like a sport, a challenge to see who could dig the deepest, jab the hardest, find the most tender weak spot. And every once in a while, when Emma said just the right thing, she would see Regina's mask slide off. Every once in a while, she would see the hurt that comes from loving a son who sees you as no more than an evil witch.

Despite what Regina thought, Emma really didn't want to take Henry away from her. God knows that if she had kept him, he would not have turned out to be the great kid he was. His first months would be spent who knows how while she served her jail sentence! And after that…well a life of a bail bondsperson is not one that a child fits into very well.

Henry may not see it now, but he needed his mother – his real mother. The one who raised him all on her own for ten years, through all the tantrums and cries and fevers. Yeah, Emma was the fun one, the cool one, but she was only able to be that because Regina was there to be the real parent. She was responsible and on top of everything. Emma let him play and get dirty; Regina knew exactly what kinds of band aids Henry liked on his scrapes.

_Oh god, we're like divorced parents._

Emma shook her head at the thought of trying to co-parent with Regina. There would probably be casualties. Although, now that she thought about it, that's pretty much what they'd been doing. And the casualties had been Henry's behavior.

She loved hanging out with him, but when he skips school and lies to his mom to do it? Well that's not good for anyone. He's so smart, and so good, but breaking the rules isn't going to get you anywhere in life. Emma knew that all too well.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head up and turned to look at the clock once more. Surely all that thinking **had **to have taken up a pretty significant chunk of time.

_5:46_

_Shit. _

* * *

Emma wandered the streets of Storybrooke, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. _Yeah, like that was going to happen._ Long ago, she decided that sitting in the office wasn't going to do anyone any good, and went out to patrol. Sure, she wasn't really supposed to leave unless she had a deputy covering for her, but she left a sign on the door saying that all calls were being forwarded to her cell, and the town was so small that most likely she would spot trouble before anyone had time to call her.

As she walked by Granny's for the fiftieth time, she noticed that the dinner rush had calmed down, and looked down at her watch to realize that it was almost 7:30pm. As if on cue, her stomach started growling, and images of burgers and fries started popping up in Emma's mind.

Rationalizing that she could not be an effective sheriff on an empty stomach, she entered the diner, cringing when she heard the little bell chime, signaling her arrival. Just like that morning, everyone turned to look at her, but now Emma was in no mood. She glared at them before taking a seat at the bar.

"Hey Lemur!" Ruby walked up to her in her usual just-barely-decent red uniform. "What can I get for you?"

Emma smiled gratefully at the waitress, the only person who was still treating her normally. "Hi Ruby," she said, "Can I have a cheeseburger with everything on it, and some of those curly fries I love?"

"Sure! Anything to drink?"

"Hot cocoa, please, with-"

"Cinnamon, I know, I know! Come on Emma, don't you think I know that by now?" Ruby asked. "It's coming right up!" She gave the blonde another smile before scurrying off to give the cook Emma's order.

A short time later, the sheriff let out a satisfied sigh as she polished off the last of the fries. Granny had a gift, she decided, no one else made such a simple meal taste so good. Looking at the clock, she smiled. Only five minutes left of her shift. Just enough time to run back to the station and grab her stuff. She fished money out of her wallet, deciding Ruby deserved a sizable tip. Dropping it on the counter, she hopped off the stool and made her way to the door, shouting out a "See you later, Ruby!" as she walked.

Ruby poked her head out from the back, and gave Emma's back a knowing smile. "Let me know how things go with Regina!" she said.

Emma stopped in her tracks and turned around. "How-how did you know I was going to see Regina?" she sputtered.

Ruby's grin grew tenfold. "I didn't," she replied, "but I do now!"

Emma's jaw dropped. Ruby was lucky the diner had pretty much cleared out by then, because Emma would have had to personally kill anyone who was hearing this. "I…well….it…oh shut up!" She finally said, storming out of the diner. Sometimes Ruby was too smart for her own good.

* * *

At precisely 8:59, Emma stood in front of Regina's mansion. After a tortuous hour of trying on every item in her closet, she had finally given up and thrown on her normal skinny jeans and sweater with a tank top underneath. She knew Regina liked her in these jeans anyway, though she would never admit it.

When finally her watch read 9:00, Emma raised her fist, and prepared to knock on the door. Before, she got the chance however, the door flew open, revealing a very excited Henry bogged down by a sleeping bag, pillow and overnight bag. He slammed into her torso with a "Hi, Emma!" and proceeded to jabber away about his sleepover.

"That's uh…great kid," Emma replied. At the sound of a car honk, Henry broke the embrace and ran past her, towards a car that was now waiting at the end of Regina's driveway. He threw his stuff in the trunk, and before hopping in the backseat, turned back and said five words that made Emma's heart stop.

"My mom's in her bedroom."

* * *

Walking into Regina's house, Emma couldn't help but feel like a trespasser. With great care, she took off her boots, knowing that tracking dirt through the house would earn another lecture, and not a fun one.

Slowly, she made her way up the stairs and towards Regina's room, the only room she had never seen. The door was closed, so Emma knocked softly, feeling her heart pound in her chest.

"Come in." Emma had never heard Regina's voice like that, so low and husky. It gave her goose bumps.

Slowly, she opened the door. Regina's room was gorgeous and ornate, as one would expect, but Emma wasn't paying attention to any of that. All she saw was Regina.

Sitting on the bed, legs crossed with her arms crossed above her head, Regina looked like the queen no one knew she was. In simple black panties and a matching corset, she was the pinnacle of beauty.

Emma crossed the room in a heartbeat, crawling onto the bed and on top of Regina, finally kissing the lips she had been missing all day. They felt just as full and warm and sweet as the previous times they had kissed, but there was something extra, too. The knowledge that they were alone, and no one was interrupting them this time.

Regina let her hands roam all over the other woman's body but broke the kiss, touching her lips to Emma's ear just the way she had done in the alley behind Granny's. She nibbled on Emma's earlobe for a minute before whispering, "Let me show you just how beautiful you are."

* * *

**A/N: Hoped this chapter was worth waiting for! Just a warning, this is going to stay T, so nothing too explicit. Please review, it makes me so happy. I'm always up for a little constructive criticism, so don't be afraid to speak your mind (but keep it polite please). Thanks lovelies!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: You all must hate me by now. I am so sorry making you wait this long, and I really am going to try to be better about it. The good thing is, I am on school break, so I may have another update up on Saturday if I'm lucky! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and by the way, thanks for more than 100 follows! You guys are the best!  
**

* * *

"_Let me show you just how beautiful you are."_

Emma rarely felt beautiful. She knew she had a toned body, good height, and when her hair curled right she was aware that it looked good. But being abandoned by her parents, and bumped around foster homes for 18 years, she had always kind of felt like an ugly duckling – never truly fitting in and feeling right.

But in this moment, kissing Regina after making love to her in such a sweet and caring way, she finally felt like she might live up to her last name. Emma was sweaty and out of breath, but somehow she felt like she had never looked so good. She had a feeling it was due to the gorgeous woman looking at her like she was seeing beauty for the first time. Usually it was hate, annoyance, and perhaps a bit of lust that she saw when looking into Regina's eyes, but now all she saw was sincere care and – dare she say it – love.

Both of them were tired, and their kisses started slowing, decreasing in frequency until they stopped all together. They lay down in Regina's bed, catching their breath, allowing Emma to continue getting lost in her thoughts.

Sex had never really meant much to her, not after Neal anyway. She had one night stands to take the edge off, leaving before commitment could even become an issue. Sometimes, before she became comfortable with who she was, she'd go home with a guy just to prove that the rendezvous she just had with a woman didn't mean anything, that she was straight with some…flexibility.

Even after she accepted that she was attracted to women, she never did relationships, and no amount of great sex had ever made her question that rule. At least, not until Regina Mills. They just seemed to fit together; their hands felt like they were born to be permanently intertwined. Emma was no expert at relationships, she wasn't even sure what she wanted, but she didn't feel that need she usually did- the need to sneak out and pretend it never happened. She wanted to fall asleep with Regina, wake up with her, have breakfast with her, do anything as long as they could do it together.

_Woah, get a hold of yourself, Emma_. She didn't even know what Regina wanted, and even if the brunette didn't want to just forget about tonight, they needed to take things one step at a time. They kissed for the first time **yesterday** for crying out loud! Well, two days ago, she amended, looking at the clock and the little AM next to the time.

She supposed the first step was seeing how Regina felt about them falling asleep together. To test the theory, she snuggled a little more into the other woman's side, letting herself get comfortable. She felt Regina tense just a bit and then relax, putting an arm around Emma and settling her head next to the base of her neck, so Emma could barely feel her soft breaths. Well, she guessed that answered that question. Smiling, she closed her eyes and fell into what she knew would be a deep and restful sleep.

* * *

Regina rarely felt beautiful. Sure, she knew she had curves that could bring men (and women) to their knees, and had used that advantage frequently as the Evil Queen, but her body was always a weapon. It was something to be objectified, not cherished.

But in this moment, kissing Emma after making love to her in a slower and more loving way than she had experienced in a long time, she finally felt like more than just the sum of her parts. Her hair was mussed to oblivion and her body was sticky and sweaty, but Regina had never felt so good. She supposed a good portion of the responsibility for that should fall on the stunning woman looking at her right now. Of all the emotions that Emma's eyes had conveyed since arriving in Storybooke, Regina was foreign to the look of such affection that was coming from the other woman now.

As their kisses slowed, Regina reflected on the fact that this was when she would often kick her bed partners out, their services fulfilled and therefore no longer interesting to the queen. This was when Graham would often leave as well, but for the reason of ensuring he was not in the house when Henry awoke. This time was different. This time, both she and Emma lay down in the bed, and Regina took advantage of the silence to continue with her thoughts.

Even though their relationship was developing so fast, so far away from the animosity that was between them just a few days ago, Regina couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the meaningless sex she usually found herself in. They seemed to fit together, filling a small part of the whole that had been in Regina's heart since she enacted the curse. Instead of throwing Emma into the cold, she wanted the blonde to stay in her bed, to be there when she woke up, for breakfast and who knows what else.

Suddenly Regina blanched, realizing the weight of what she was saying. Emma wasn't shy about sharing her tradition of one night stands. Who knew what she was thinking? Maybe she just wanted to release the tension. All this is happening so fast.

As the mayor puzzled over how to handle the situation, she felt Emma snuggle closer to her, clearly settling down for going to sleep. Regina tensed for a moment in surprise, but quickly relaxed, happy the decision was made for her. As if on its own, her arm curled around Emma's small waist, and Regina couldn't help but marvel at how natural it felt there. As she drifted off to sleep, her last thought was the fact that even though her mission had been to make Emma feel beautiful, the other woman managed to return the favor.

* * *

There was a ringing. It was loud and obnoxious and even though in reality it had only begun moments ago, Emma could swear it had been blaring for years. She had been in a blissful sleep until that damn cordless phone on Regina's nightstand decided it was time for a little wakeup call.

She groaned and buried herself further under the covers, and could feel the weight shifting on the bed as Regina reached for the phone. She hated that the brunette was allowing them to be interrupted, but hey, at least the ringing would stop.

Regina cleared her throat before answering, trying to rid herself of the morning voice that always betrayed to the other party that you had just woken up. "He-hello...yes….yes hi Tom…no it's fine…yes I remember…no of course you don't need to drive him home...I can pick him up…"

As Emma digested what Regina was saying, she shot straight up, suddenly much more awake than she was a few seconds ago. Henry. He would be coming back from his sleepover, and finding his two mothers naked in a bed together is probably a scarring experience he should not have to deal with.

She got out of bed and began to hunt for her clothes, scattered across the room. Each item she picked up triggered a flashback of the previous night, and the ways the different items were discarded, making Emma's cheeks flush. All the while, she listened as Regina continued her conversation.

"Well, if you're already going out…yes I see…as long as it's not an inconvenience…all right…then it's settled…I'll see you then." She placed the phone back in its holder and glanced towards Emma, squeezing her impossibly tight jeans on in quite the adorable fashion.

"Henry is going to be dropped off in fifteen minutes," she informed the blonde, "so in the meantime we should get dressed and head downstairs. It's late enough that you simply could have come over early to work on town business, so that's what we'll tell Henry."

To be honest, Emma was shocked. She assumed Regina would shoo her out the door, lest Henry should see her for even a second. This was quite a change, but one that Emma welcomed with open arms. "Yeah…okay," she floundered. "I can say that we were just finishing up, and then just…"

"The park," Regina blurted out. "On Saturdays, Henry likes to go and get some fresh air, maybe play with some friends. I usually bring a book or take a walk. You can come with us if you like." She said the last part as a sort of question, looking a bit nervous. Emma thought it was cute.

"I would love to," she answered, unable to keep the smile off her face. She couldn't believe Regina was allowing her to spend more time with Henry at all, and here she was letting Emma into one of their family traditions. Maybe she should have kissed Regina a long time ago.

The two of them grinned at each other for a moment before continuing to get ready, Regina lending Emma a spare toothbrush and guiding her towards the guest bathroom before prepping herself in her own. Eventually, they made their way downstairs and ate some cereal before entering Regina's home office, where they dug out some forms to pretend to be filling out.

Just a minute after they sat down, they heard the front door open, and tiny feet scurry into the house, Henry's unmistakable voice yelling out a "MOOOOM…?"

"We're in my office, dear," Regina called out. Soon enough, he skidded into the room, his confused face at his mother using the plural turning to one of joy at seeing Emma. It was the blonde that received the first hug, and Emma didn't have to look to know the flash of pain currently adorning the other woman's face.

Still, she gave him a squeeze. "Hey, kid," she greeted, "Why don't you say hello to your mom, huh?" Reluctantly, Henry released his grip and embraced his other mother, who kissed the top of his head before looking at Emma and mouthing "thank you."

"How was your sleepover?" Regina asked.

"It was fun, we made popcorn and watched The Avengers, and Nicholas showed me his new comic book!"

"Well I'm glad you had a good time, dear. Miss…Emma was just here working on some town business with me, but we're about finished." Emma smiled at the drop of the official title, she liked the way her first name sounded on the other woman's lips.

"Why don't you put your stuff away," Regina continued, "and the three of us can head out to the park?"

Henry's jaw dropped, and his eyes lit up. "You mean Emma gets to come too?"

Regina nodded, and the beam on the boy's face was enough to warm both his mother's hearts. Running off, he yelled "This is going to be so much fun!"

* * *

**A/N: There you are! Let me know what you thought of showing that scene from both women's perspectives, it was just something I thought I'd try. Remember, review and encourage me and you might get another chapter in a few days!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for the great feedback on the last chapter – it spurred me on to get this one done! Sorry I didn't have it for you yesterday, got caught up watching the DVD of Adele at Royal Albert Hall. I regret nothing. Anyways, here you go – enjoy!**

* * *

As the three started walking down the street towards the park, Regina felt a sudden rush of insecurity. Henry was probably only excited because Emma was coming. In fact, he probably wished Regina wasn't there. With every step, she convinced herself more and more that this was a bad idea. She was going to have to sit there and watch as her son gave all his affections to his birth mother while treating Regina like some form of glorified babysitter.

She couldn't send Emma away now; it would just make Henry hate her more. No, clearly the only solution would be to remove herself from the equation. She opened up her mouth to make some excuse about some meeting she needed to prepare for, but before she could get any words out, she felt a tiny hand grab her own. Looking down, she saw Henry grinning up at her in a way she hadn't seen in a long time. Yes, his other hand was holding that of Emma's, but in the moment Regina couldn't bring herself to care.

For so long after he found that book, Henry had resisted all forms of affectionate contact – any contact at all, really. She did her best to not let it show, but every time he shrugged her off or ran away to find comfort in Emma's arms, it hurt. He made her want to be good. Without him, she didn't know what she would do.

That is why now Henry's simple childish actions were warming her heart more than she'd ever admit out loud. He was acting like a normal 10 year old, swinging their arms and blabbering on about one comic or another. She glanced at Emma and had to fight the urge to laugh at her confused expression. Regina had learned long ago that in such situations, a mother just has to go with it, nod and smile and act indignant when the time seems right.

Those are the little things that make her Henry's mother. It's not blood or genetics, but the fact that she knows he likes the crusts cut off his sandwiches Or that if he wakes up in the middle of the night, a little warm milk will help him go back to sleep. That's her connection with Henry. Emma's connection is biological, and as much as Regina loathes to admit it, that doesn't make it any less real. Just different.

"Mom look, an ice cream stand!" At the sound of her son's voice, she glanced down at him instinctively, although part of her feared that he was addressing Emma. Her fears were eased at the sight of Henry's face, so hopeful and pleading, it killed her to say no, given she had to fight for every point in her son's book.

To her surprise, Emma chimed in before Regina could open her mouth, saying "Kid, it's only ten in the morning. Why don't we enjoy the park, and then maybe you can have some after lunch if it's okay with your mom?"

Henry looked at his blonde mother with a bit of shock. She was supposed to be the fun parent, the one that let him do whatever he wanted. "Um…okay. Hey, people started a soccer game! Can I go play?" After a nod from Regina he dashed off, quickly stealing the ball from Ava and dribbling towards the goal, the girl following quickly on his heels.

Finally given a moment of quiet, the two women started to walk leisurely along the path that circled the park. Regina broke the silence first, saying "I'm impressed, Miss Swan. Usually I am forced to be the sole authoritarian." Emma raised an eyebrow at the title, but the other woman gave a small smile to show she was only teasing.

"Hey, I want to be his mother too, and that means having to say no to things."

"Oh, does it now? Reading parenting books, Miss Swan?" Instead of formal and cold, the use of Emma's last name started to signify something more playful and flirtatious. It wasn't something Regina was used to, but she liked it.

"I...well..." Emma stammered, thrown off by the change in the mayor's tone. She was attractive enough before, but with that sexy voice she was just torturing her.

For her part, Regina let her mouth drop open a little, shocked at the lack of denial at the accusation. "_Did_ you, Emma?"

"Did I what?" Emma answered, trying to play dumb.

"You know full well what I am referring to, Miss Swan. Answer the question"

"Of course I didn't!"

"Emma…"

"One."

"Really?" Regina was shocked. The other woman seemed to have so much arrogance, acting like the fact that Henry came out of her body immediately gave her everything she needed to know.

"I was at the store, and it was on sale…" Emma was thoroughly embarrassed now. At first she thought the book might help her get an edge on Regina, but then she started reading it simply to help herself. In any case, this definitely wasn't something she wanted the brunette knowing about. She would probably be mocked into the next century.

"Good for you."

Well that certainly wasn't the response Emma was expecting. "Wait, what?"

"I said good for you," Regina repeated, "Is your hearing as bad as your fashion sense?" Emma simply smirked in response, so she continued. "Buying a book means you're trying, which is something I admire. I myself bought multiple books when I adopted Henry."

"You **did**?" Now it was Regina's turn to flush with embarrassment. Truthfully, at the time she didn't feel like she knew how to be a parent. Her father was too timid for his own good, and her mother…well let's just say if she ever did to Henry a fraction of what Cora did to her, she'd beg to be killed.

To Emma, she said "While there is a lot to be said about experience, some advice from professionals can give new mothers some comfort."

This reminded the blonde of the fact that she did raise Henry alone, and it's clear the other members of the town probably weren't eager to help out. "You did a good job with him," she said. "I mean, he's a great kid, much better that he would have been if I had kept him." She mumbled the last bit, looking at the ground.

Regina stopped walking then, and took a hold of Emma's chin, tilting her face up. When their eyes met, she gasped. The simple connection seemed to send a wave of warmth through her whole body, momentarily making her lose focus.

Blinking a couple times, she remembered what it was she wanted to say. "Henry is Henry," she began. "He's wonderful, but I'm sure he would have been equally as wonderful if you had raised him. You have an ease with him, and that's something I envy."

At that, Emma gave a small, sad smile. "Maybe, but I don't know how to do all the motherly things. Hell, I had to buy a book. You're better than this than I am. You're his parent, too, Regina, and I can't change that."

That simple statement made Regina look at Emma with such gratitude and care. The blonde could never know just how much Regina needed to hear that sometimes. In that moment, she became aware of just how close their faces were, and the fact that her hand was still on Emma's chin. She started to bring their lips even closer only to stop at the very last minute.

Knowing exactly why she stopped, Emma assured her, whispering "No one's looking, Regina, it's okay." She put her own hand on the brunette's cheek and closed the small distance to give her a small, sweet kiss, chaste but full of care.

They pulled away slowly and Regina looked around to see that the younger woman was right. They had reached the more secluded side of the park, and everyone was wrapped up in their own activities. As the two began to continue along the path again, Emma reached for Regina's hand, but the other woman pulled away.

"I'm sorry," Regina apologized, "I'm just…not ready for everyone to know quite yet."

"That's all right," Emma replied. She couldn't say she wasn't hurt by the rejection, but she understood the Mayor's insecurities. The town went nuts when they kissed – when they found out they were actually together, it would be the biggest thing since Brad and Angelina.

Eventually, they made their way back to the more crowded area of the park, and found Henry sitting on the grass, chatting away. Both women were happy he'd come out of his shell a little, especially befriending the siblings whose father Emma found. When he saw his mothers, he jumped up and ran towards them, as wound up as ever.

"Can I have ice cream now?" He asked, confident that there was no way Emma would deny him a second time. His mothers looked at each other, smiled, and turned back to the eager little boy, and gave him an answer in unison.

"No, Henry."

"Dang it!"

* * *

A few hours later, the three had lunch at Granny's, and it was so much more pleasant and easy than Regina had thought it would be. Afterwards, she handed Henry the money and sent him to the counter to pay (he was in that stage of wanting to do everything himself) while the two women walked outside.

"This has been fun, hasn't it?" Emma asked, her face smug and, Regina had to admit, cute.

"Yes dear, I quite enjoyed it," she replied. She looked around to make sure no one was around, and gave the blonde a quick peck of the lips, which turned deep and intense quickly. As Regina's mind started to turn to mush, she was brought back to reality by a voice that made both women pull apart _real_ fast.

"Moms?"

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh! What is Henry going to think of this development! Please tell me what you thought about this chapter – I'll get a new one to you as soon as I can!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the great response, as always! You guys are awesome! Now, I know I left the last chapter on a bit of a cliff hanger, so I'm not going to ramble on any longer. Happy reading!**

* * *

"_Moms?"_

The two women jumped apart like they had just heard a gunshot, and Emma could see the fear reflected in Regina's eyes. The day had been so perfect, and Regina could feel her relationship with Henry start to return to the way it was before he found that blasted book. But now that he had discovered her little secret, would it all be for nothing? What if he thought she had put some sort of spell on Emma? What if he began calling her Regina again instead of Mom? He was the key to her happy ending, she couldn't lose him.

All of these thoughts flashed through the mayor's mind in the span of a single second. With butterflies in her stomach, she slowly turned her head towards her son, who was standing there with his mouth so wide open Regina could count how many teeth he had. To say he looked shocked would be a gross understatement, but he didn't look **angry**, per say, and that simple fact made Regina almost cry with relief. She glanced at Emma, who had such a panicked look on her face it made Regina want to laugh, in spite of it all. The blonde had never had to deal with this side of parenting. It was a problem no amount of sweets was going to solve.

She crouched down until she and Henry were at eye level and brushed the hair out of his face, a motherly habit she did almost instinctually. He recoiled a bit, clearly still trying to process what he just saw. "Wha…what's going on?" he asked, his eyes flickering between his mothers. "Why were you two kissing?"

"Henry," Regina said softly, "Emma and I…we've realized we care about each other. And when two people care about each other, kissing is one of the ways they show it."

"B-b-but…I thought you guys hated each other! If you cared about each other, why would you try to make Emma leave Storybrooke, and why did you stop me from seeing her, and…and…" Henry looked around, realizing that none of the other citizens in the area seemed particularly disturbed about what they had just witnessed. "Why does no one else seem to care? AM I MISSING SOMETHING?" He was starting to get hysterical, and Regina didn't know what to do.

Luckily, Emma chose that moment to swoop in, crouching next to Regina and placing a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Woah, kid, settle down. Regina and I kissed for the first time a couple days ago, and a lot of people saw it, that's why they're not as surprised now. And we don't hate each other. We just didn't understand how we felt, and those mixed feelings can create a lot of tension."

Henry simply stood there, letting the information sink in. He blinked a couple of times, and then took a deep breath. "I…I think I need a minute," he said before running off in the direction of the mansion.

Regina started to run after him but was stopped by Emma, who put a hand on the brunette's arm and gave a look that clearly said _give him some time_. Actually, looking at Emma's face, Regina was surprised at how calm the other woman seemed. They had just been caught kissing by their ten year old son who had then run away from them, and all Emma was doing was standing there and…laughing?

"Miss Swan!" The use of her last name made Emma calm down a bit, although she was still chuckling. She glanced at Regina, who was fuming in the most adorable way, if that was even possible.

"I'm sorry, it's just-"

"It's just what?" Regina interrupted. "I fail to see what could possibly be funny about being caught by Henry so early in…whatever this is. I didn't want him to get involved in any of this yet, but now he is and it is entirely your fault by the way!"

"Okay, first of all," Emma began, "you're the one who kissed me just now, so don't go around laying the blame on me!" Regina opened her mouth to protest before realizing that Emma was, technically, right. Was that who she was now: the mayor of Storybrooke running around and kissing sheriffs in public? Apparently so.

"Second of all, the reason I was laughing was that Henry's parting line was pretty much the same thing I said when he showed up at my door in Boston,_" _she continued. _Like mother, like son_, Regina thought, although she was surprised to realize she didn't think it with as much bitterness as she used to.

"Oh, really? And where exactly did you run to, given the fact that you were already at your apartment?"

"The bathroom," Emma mumbled. Regina rolled her eyes. Of course the other woman handled the situation with about as much maturity as a preteen boy.

"The bathroom? Really, Emma?"

"Hey, I was panicking!" Emma defended. "And it was only for a second, just enough time for Henry to snag some juice from my fridge. That kid makes himself at home way too easily." Regina cringed a bit at that. She tried to raise her son with manners, but clearly thirst took precedence in any given situation.

"And third…"

"There's a third? How long does this list go, Miss Swan? Some of us have things to do." Now it was Emma's turn to roll her eyes. She had thought they had made so much progress.

"Come on, we're back to the titles already? Call me by my first name, Regina. I'm pretty sure we know each other well enough by now."

"Well all right then," the mayor responded. "What is the third item on this list, _Emma_?" She spoke the name in a sort of whisper, approaching the blonde until the space between their lips could be measured in millimeters.

Emma wasn't one to back down from a challenge, though. She grazed her lips along Regina's cheek until they reached her ear, and felt the mayor shiver. She never would have thought she could have this sort of effect on the other woman. It was an intoxicating feeling. However, she needed to get back to her task. She smiled against Regina's earlobe and whispered, "Third of all, our very first kiss happened in front of half the town. I think the bigger question here is how Henry didn't already know."

Regina blushed, partly because Emma was again correct and partly because having the blonde so close made her lose her composure. Before either of them embarrassed themselves any further in public, she pulled away. "I think we better go talk to Henry," she said, and walked away before realizing the sheriff hadn't moved. "Are you coming?"

"Oh, um, yes," Emma answered, running to catch up. The truth was, she had been too distracted by the fact that Regina had said "we" instead of "I" to pay any attention. With the older woman, it had always been "my son" and "I better do this". She doubted Regina even realized it, but she was letting Emma in, bit by bit. And as the two of them walked towards Regina's house, Emma realized she couldn't be happier about it.

* * *

They found Henry on the living room couch looking at the fairy tale book, as he almost always was these days. Regina's heart sunk just a little, thinking about how he must be reminding himself that Regina was an evil witch who didn't deserve happiness. She sat on the far end of the couch, giving him as much space as possible. Emma sat in a nearby chair.

"Henry," Regina said softly, "I'd like to know how you feel about all of this. I know it is sudden and hard to understand, but I do care about Emma, and I'm not going to hurt her." She wrung her hands together, suddenly a bit nervous. As good as she felt when she was with Emma, she wasn't going to do anything to further jeopardize her relationship with her son. He was simply too important.

Henry looked up, with a pensive look on his little face. "If you really are the evil queen-"

"Henry!" Emma scolded him. She looked almost as hurt by the words as Regina, who was surprised at Emma's curt tone. She wasn't used to people coming to her defense, and definitely not with that amount of fervor.

"No, no, let me finish," Henry pleaded. "If you really are the evil queen, and Emma's the savior, I think you need her more than anybody. The savior's supposed to save everyone, not just the good guys. I think…I think she could help you, mom." He looked at Regina with such a hopeful expression, and it warmed her heart. She still hated being called evil, but if this was how he could rationalize their relationship in his mind, well then so be it.

She scooted to his end of the couch to give him a hug, and couldn't help the large smile that came over her when he returned the embrace. "Now why don't you go upstairs and read," she suggested. "You've had quite the busy day."

"Okay," he said, and began to make his way towards his room. Before he was completely out of sight, though, he turned to look at Emma.

"Don't worry kid," she assured him. "I'm not going anywhere. Well, I should probably go home in a little while, but I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Henry simply smiled and dashed up to his room, all too willing to get lost in the world of Wolverine.

Now that the two of them were alone, Regina let out a breath she hadn't even been aware she was holding. Emma came and joined her on the couch, pulling her into an embrace. _How does she do that?_ Regina wondered. _How does she make me feel so warm and safe, just by being here?_

"I'm sorry he still thinks you're the evil queen," Emma said, snuggling into the crook of Regina's neck, her new favorite spot. "But I think he might be right about one thing."

"And what would that be?" Regina asked.

"I can save you."

* * *

**A/N: There you go! I hope you were pleased with Henry's response. I won't be able to update for a couple weeks because I'm in a school musical that's opening soon, but please review and inspire me to write a really great chapter once I can!**

**Also, "The Butterflies of Swan Queen" facebook page is organizing a campaign to trend Swan Queen on twitter two hours before OUAT on Sunday. At 6pm EST, please tweet with the hashtag #swanqueen. Thanks, and enjoy Emma in protective koala mode!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am a horrible person. Sorry for making you wait so long, school and life got in the way. Thank you guys for the 200+ followers! I cannot believe so many people want to read my writing – SWEN is awesome! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Miss Swan…."

Emma rolled her eyes. While she had to admit that it turned her on just a little to hear Regina call her by her last name, she knew it meant that Regina was trying to pull away. She was trying to be formal, to build up that mask she spent so much time hiding behind. But the blonde wouldn't stand for it. The two of them were naked, tangled up in Regina's bed. Emma was pretty sure they were past formalities – and that what she was asking was not an outrageous concept.

"Regina, I can keep going all day. Now, for the last time, I am not asking you, I am telling you. We are going to the Spring Fair with Henry, as a couple. Holding hands, feeding each other cotton candy, the whole shebang."

"Emma, no. I'm just not comfortable with showcasing our relationship to the entire town." Regina tried to turn away, but Emma just clenched her tighter, planting a kiss at the base of her neck before responding.

"May I remind you, _again_, that most of the town saw our first kiss and the subsequent make out session? And the people who didn't know were informed by the gossip mill by the end of the day? This isn't exactly going to be a huge shocker." Emma started trailing her finger up and down Regina's spine, and the other woman shivered. Distracting her with sex was sort of Emma's go-to tactic when she wasn't getting her way, but Regina had to keep a clear head if she was going to fight this. And keeping a clear head would be a lot easier if there weren't fingers dancing around to her lower abdomen, getting closer and closer to her heat. She cleared her throat and spoke, trying to pretend she wasn't affected by Emma's actions.

"Yes, dear, but since then we've kept a low profile. No PDA, only getting together at my house when Henry was out, and never-" Regina's breath hitched as she felt Emma's fingers trace the inside of her thighs. If they kept this up, Regina would be begging Emma to do whatever she wanted to her, and that simply wouldn't do. Gathering up every ounce of strength she possessed, she broke out of Emma's embrace and stood up next to the bed.

"Emma, you don't understand. I **can't **do this." Seeing Regina stand there naked and vulnerable, with her arms crossed like she was holding herself together, the blonde felt her heart clench. Clearly this wasn't a woman who was just too proud to mingle with the commoners. This was a woman who's scared.

Slowly, she got up and put her arms around her lover, waiting to speak until she felt Regina relax and put her head on Emma's shoulder. "Now tell me the truth, why are you so afraid of being seen with me?"

"Because," Regina said, in a small voice reminiscent of a child, "I care about you more than I probably should, and there isn't a single person in town besides you and sometimes Henry that wants me to be happy. If we go to this fair together, I will get stares and dirty looks while you get one concerned citizen after another asking why you're associating yourself with me."

Emma's heart went from simply clenching to tearing itself in two. No one deserved to feel that unwanted. Emma knew that far too well. When you're just a meal ticket, someone else to fill a bed, stares and dirty looks were pretty much all you got. Thinking about that brought another question to her mind. "You're the mayor," she asked, "everyone should have nothing but the upmost respect for you. Why would they want you unhappy, and why would they dare to voice that opinion?"

Regina cringed slightly, hoping Emma didn't notice. How could she tell the blonde that she committed horrible acts against them as the evil queen, that even in their cursed state she could tell there was something inside them that made each one look at her with disdain? She wouldn't - _couldn't_ – reveal that secret, so she went for an answer that was not a lie, but just shy of the truth.

"I can be quite intimidating as the mayor, dear, and I suppose that leads others to believe I am…cold, and not exactly appealing romantically." She felt Emma smile and chuckle against her neck, and let out a breath, relieved that her vague response was accepted.

"Oh really?" Emma said in a seductive voice, beginning to kiss along Regina's collarbone. "Well I happen to find many parts of you very….very….appealing…._romantically_." She spoke the last word in a whisper, her lips having made their way down to the other woman's chest. Regina pulled them back into the bed, and soon both of them forgot all about this conversation – along with their own names.

That is, until Regina said something coming down from her high that was so shocking, it made Emma sit straight up in bed.

"What was that?"

"I said, we can go. Clearly you're very passionate about the subject, and I honestly am not in the mood for Henry's puppy dog eyes later when I say we're not all attending." Sure, Regina sounded like her normal hard ass, logical self, but Emma could tell that it was very hard for her to agree to something she wasn't comfortable with.

"Thank you! I promise, it will be tons of fun, and I will handcuff anyone who tries to give us any grief. Besides…" Emma trailed off, her eyes widening as she realized what Regina just said. "Oh my god."

"What is it?"

"Henry. I was supposed to pick him up from his field trip at 3 and it's….3:34."_ Crap._

"MISS SWAN!"

* * *

"You're late."

"I know, I'm sorry, kid."

"Where were you?"

"At your house, actually. Your mom and I were, um, talking about some town stuff and I didn't notice the time."

"Town stuff? Really?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Why is your shirt buttoned wrong?"

"Let's just get you home, kid."

* * *

"But why…" Henry was too curious and smart for his own good, and so even as they walked through the front door of the mansion, he was questioning what exact activities his mothers had been up to. She had wanted the news about the fair to be a surprise that she and Regina could tell him together, but the cost of not using it as a distraction tool had proved to be Emma's patience.

_He is _so_ her son_, she thought as they put their coats away. "Regina, we're here!" She yelled up the stairs, and the brunette emerged looking as flawless as ever. Of freaking course. She had no idea how Regina managed to look so perfect every minute of the day, while Emma always looked like she had just rolled out of bed. Well, this time she technically had. But that wasn't the point.

"Hello, Henry, how was your trip?" Regina asked, giving him a hug. Henry seemed slightly reluctant, but at least he put his arms around her as well, which is more than she could say when he was in the thick of his fairytale obsession.

"It was fun, Mr. Nolan let us play with all the puppies at the animal shelter, and he showed us how to take care of them! I know all about feeding them, and taking them out, and everything. Can we get a dog?" Henry looked up at Regina, his face half hopeful and half nervous.

"Absolutely not," Regina responded sternly. "I will not tolerate some animal bounding around my house, tracking in dirt and mud and who knows what else." Lately she had been doing everything in her power to make Henry happy, but there was only so far she would go. And paw prints all over her beautiful white rug most _definitely_ crossed that line.

Henry looked momentarily distraught, but suddenly his features brightened. He looked up at Emma and put on his best I'm-your-only-son-and-don't-you-want-to-make-up-fo r-abandoning-me face. "Hey Emma, it can live at YOUR house! I'll come over all the time and take care of it and-"

"Don't even try, kid," Emma interrupted. "Number one, it can't be your dog if it lives in my tiny apartment and I have to take care of it. Number two, your mom just said no dogs, and that includes those hidden out in other locations." Regina couldn't help but smile. Having someone else to back her up on parenting decisions, instead of trying to undermine her, is definitely something she could get used to. In order to prevent this discussion from escalating any further, she decided to move on to a happier topic.

"Honey, Emma and I have some good news for you. How would you like the three of us to go to the Spring Fair together on Friday?" In that instant, one could visibly see any concern about a pet leave Henry's face at the speed of light. His face turned into one of such pure joy and hope, it broke both his mothers' hearts.

"Really?" Henry asked, clearly needing confirmation that this was not a dream.

"Yeah, kid," Emma said, putting an arm around his shoulders. "It's something fun to do, no reason why we shouldn't do it together." She glanced at Regina, who gave a subtle smile and nod. Henry didn't need to know that in reality, the decision to go as a family was nowhere close to being that simple.

"Anyway," she continued, "I'll pick you up from school and bring you to the apartment with me until your mom's done at work, and then we'll walk to your house and get her. Sound like a plan?" Henry nodded enthusiastically and hugged his mothers before running up the stairs, yammering about cotton candy, ice cream and something about a cookie as large as his head. This gave Regina a rather wicked idea…

"Hey dear," she began, wrapping her arms around Emma and whispering in her ear, "How about I let Henry stay at your place Friday night? Earn some more mom points while I'm at it?" The idea was tempting, but Emma knew the brunette was doing this for any reason other than out of the goodness of her heart.

"Nice try, babe," she replied, turning to face Regina. "But I know for a fact that you just want to avoid dealing with his sugar rush." She gave her lover a soft kiss and touched their foreheads together. "I, however, have a much better idea. Set him up with a sleepover, and hyper Henry can be the problem of some unsuspecting parent. That way, we can both be free to….use our energy for a different activity." From their close proximity, Emma could see Regina's eyes darken with arousal, and knew she won.

"Well," Regina gulped "That does sound…like a reasonable plan. I suppose I could call Mr. Tillman and setsomethingup." The last part came out in a jumble as Emma began to kiss a path along Regina's cheekbones towards her lips. The two began to kiss in earnest, and Emma's hand trailed up Regina's stomach.

"Okay, I'm happy that you guys are agreeing to be seen in public and everything, but I really don't need to see _that._" Both chuckled at the sound of Henry's voice coming from the top of the stairs. They separated, but Emma kept a firm grip on the brunette's hand.

"I'm sorry, Henry," Regina said softly. "I'm going to start dinner now, why don't you go and set the table?"

"Okay!" Henry replied. "Can Emma stay?" Regina looked at the other woman, fully expecting some excuse. She still wasn't used to someone actually wanting to stay, wanting her. But if there was one thing Emma was good at, it was breaking expectations.

"Yeah, sure kid," the blonde answered. "That cool with you, Regina?"

"Yes!" Regina replied, a little too quickly. "I mean, that would be lovely. Care to help me with the salad?" She led Emma into the kitchen, and Henry headed into the dining room. Grabbing some plates, he carefully laid them down onto the pristine table.

"Moms," he muttered to himself. "I don't know what they were doing that made Emma late, but I really don't think it was town stuff."

* * *

**A/N: Again, I'm really sorry for the long wait! I graduate in about 3 weeks and then I'll be way more free and able to update more. Review and let me know what you thought about the chapter!**


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